Rhombi-chain Bose-Hubbard model: Geometric frustration and interactions

We explore the effects of geometric frustration within a one-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model using a chain of rhombi subject to a magnetic flux. The competition of tunnelling, self-interaction and magnetic flux gives rise to the emergence of a pair-superfluid (pair-Luttinger liquid) phase besides the more conventional Mott-insulator and superfluid (Luttinger liquid) phases. We compute the complete phase diagram of the model by identifying characteristic properties of the pair-Luttinger liquid phase such as pair correlation functions and structure factors and find that the pair-Luttinger liquid phase is very sensitive to changes away from perfect frustration (half-flux). We provide some propo…